The Battle Of Discouragement
Preaching
THE WESLEYAN PREACHING RESOURCE
VOLUME II
Everyone, at one time or another, faces discouragement. It can be devastating to one's ministry. It can paralyze creativity and effectiveness. Discouragement robs one of the best, blinds one of the good, and shields one from hope. Every minister, at some time, hits the wall of discouragement.
Discouragement sees things at their worst and does not recognize the possibility of something good. Discouragement majors on the dark side, blocking out the brighter side. It is a disease capable of destroying life and ministry.
How does one handle and resource discouragement? I offer these for your consideration.
One, admit that you are discouraged. Any problem begins with admission. When one has recognized the pain of discouragement, then one is ready to move ahead and search for solutions.
Two, do not play the "blame game." The reasons for discouragement are not always outside ourselves. Sometimes discouragement comes from our own actions - lack of planning, inefficient methods, overwork, and poor communication, to name a few. It is best to find the cause, else any solution will lead to further discouragement.
Three, check yourself. Have you become isolated? Ingrown? Have you withdrawn? Discouragement is times when all of these are probable. Too many times when you find a heart overwhelmed with discouragement, you find a heart dry from being ingrown and isolated from other, and especially from God. We need relationships, fellowship and the comfort and dialogue with others. Where these are lacking we give discouragement open invitation to do damage.
Four, pray. Prayer is our first weapon against discouragement. Prayer puts us in touch with the One Who can help us. Prayer helps us put things in perspective, as we sort it out in our petition to God. God, Who is interested in our ministry, waits to counsel and touch us in the times of our discouragement. Ralph Herring writes: "Prayer is a summit meeting in the very throne room of the universe" (Quoted by Charles "Tremendous" Jones/Bob Kelly, The Tremendous Power of Prayer, West Monroe, Louisiana: Howard Publishing Co., 2000, p. 16). The most discouraged are invited there, by their heavenly Father, to transact business that fits the soul for recovery and ministry.
Five, exercise faith. Our faith should teach us that whatever it is that discourages us, is in the hands of a wiser mind than ours - our heavenly Father. Faith is the privilege of every Christian, but too often is blunted in the times of discouragement. Max Lucado has good advice for us when he writes, "Don't measure the size of the mountain; talk to the One who can move it" (Traveling Lights, Nashville: W Publishing Group, 2001, p. 102).
Six, encourage others. Find someone who is discouraged and be a Barnabas to them. The focus on another will help clear the debris from your mind and set you on the road to encouragement. Your interest in another's problems, sometimes makes yours seem small or insignificant.
Seven, stay at the task of ministry. Do what you know is needed in ministry to others, in preparation for the pulpit, in visitation, in service, and in counseling. Through the ministry to which God has called you, will come the healing for discouragement. From ministry to others comes the encouragement we need to climb out of the cellar of discouragement and be on our way to hope and living.
Pastor, be encouraged - there is hope for the discouraged heart. God is in charge and He will cover you with grace and extend peace to your troubled heart. It is His promise to you.
C. Neil Strait
Second Sunday After Christmas
WORSHIP HELPS
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
People: All hail the God of creation.
Leader: Let the angels declare His glory.
People: Let people proclaim His majesty.
Leader: Let the earth cry out His name.
All: We at His feet shall fall.
OFFERING THOUGHT
Yours, O Lord, is the Kingdom; You are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from You; You are the ruler of all things. In Your hands are strength and power. Our God, we give You thanks, and praise Your glorious name. (1 Chronicles 29:11b--13)
BENEDICTION
Lift up your eyes to heaven and experience the God who loves you.
SERMON BRIEFS
New Life For A New Year
Ephesians 1:3--14
Introduction:
Paul's letter to the Ephesians looks backward beyond Calvary and sees forward beyond Pentecost. He describes a people for today, where each believer has an incredible future, and everybody is somebody.
I. God chose us before creation.
Christianity introduced winds of change to Ephesus, bringing a spiritual awakening. Ephesus challenged Paul as a coastal center of commerce, politics, and religion. It provided a cultic hotbed where religious memorabilia brought huge profits, but it promised a synagogue from which Paul proclaimed his Gospel of Grace.
God used Paul's prison experience to perform the last rites on Ephesian paganism while revealing the wealth of God's blessings. Paganism, like O'Reilly's gambling, never fully recovered from the blow Paul struck.
O'Reilly was down on his luck gambling, but seeing a priest anointing a horse he bet all his money on that horse. It finished last and O'Reilly grumbled, "... I bet on a horse because ye stopped to bless it and it finished last!"
"But, O'Reilly, my good man," answered the priest, "you don't understand. I wasn't blessing that horse. I was giving him last rites."
On the other hand, Acres of Diamonds by Russell Conwell described a failing African farmer who sold his farm, went searching for diamonds, and ended his life in a desperate suicide. The new owner looked at the strange stones covering his farm, took one to a jeweler, and learned he owned the world's biggest diamond mine. He became outrageously wealthy.
Paul aware of his wealth in Christ poured forth a song of praise, both for past grace (vv. 4--6) and the grace of present redemption (vv. 7--12), as well as a secured future (vv. 13--14). He calls us to demonstrate our sainthood with saintly behavior. He reminds us grace comes to the faithful not the professors.
II. Christ redeemed us through his cross.
Past grace helped Paul experience present grace, redemption from the sin of his early rebellion. Paul saw himself as a trophy of grace, a chosen vessel for helping people obtain the glory of God's grace freely abounding through Jesus (1:4--6).
An early American evangelist touched the life of Sebastian, a Canadian lumberjack. Sebastian responded by becoming a preacher. He later became the evangelist's benefactor and helped him become a world--class publisher and reformer. Late in life, Sebastian mentored my father and launched the congregation that nurtured me.
They are both gone, but my father devoted 68 years before leaving others of us to carry forward the banner of praise. Like Paul, I confess:
This is my Father's world, O let me ne'er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father's world: why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King let the heavens ring. God reigns let the earth be glad.
Maltbie D. Babcock
III. The Holy Spirit sealed us.
A journey to the cross brings us truth of new life (v. 13). Our New Year's message announces that we are not yet all we can become through Him. God the Father finished His plan. Jesus the Son finished the work the Father gave Him to do. God the Holy Spirit remains our seal of approval, helping us fulfill God's pledge.
Because we are His, we live "in Christ" to the "praise of his glory" (v. 12, cf. vv. 3, 6, 12, 14). We understand we cannot explain our salvation without recognizing the ministry of both the Spirit and the Word. The Holy Spirit is our deposit, our down payment toward our final inheritance in Christ. Pledged as God's personal possession, we remain sealed evidence.
We live our lives as a song of praise to Him. We continually seek the mind of Christ for personal direction, and always follow His direction in bringing all of creation under the headship of Christ (1:10).
Conclusion
On the eve of her execution, Lady Jane Grey sent her Greek Testament to her sister with a prayer that God would give her sister grace to live in the fear of God and die in true faith in Christ.
Paul accepted his long hours of confinement and found an open window for wider service. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Paul lived by grace. Adversity cut and buffed him, but God polished him into a shining jewel. Praise be to God!
Wayne M. Warner
God The Only Son
John 1:1--18
I remember growing up watching episodes of The Lone Ranger. At the end of each show the hero would ride off into the sunset with his trusty companion Tonto, and someone would ask the question, "Who is that masked man?" No one knew his real name, or where he came from, or why he did what he did. He just went wandering about, anonymously fighting the bad guys and doing good. I always suspected he was not only the "Lone" ranger, but the "lonely" ranger.
John uses an unusual phrase in verse 18. He calls Jesus "God the only Son." Many saw God as impersonal, a force of nature, only one of many gods who intervened into the world on occasion to right a wrong, levy justice when it suited Him, getting involved only when necessary. Even for the Israelites, He was the God of the Holy of Holies, only accessible to a few on behalf of all Israel. Without a personal relationship with Him, it was always so easy for Israel to wander away, and leave God to His business. They often had to be reminded of who He was and who they were in relation to Him.
John sets out in this chapter to set the record straight. Jesus, who was the "only Son," has come in a final answer to the question, "Who is he?"
I. He is God in every respect.
And Jesus is God. Jesus was before the world, pre--existent, and eternal (In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God). He is the Creator (v. 3). He is the source of all life (v. 4). He is the source of all light and truth (vv. 4--5).
This Jesus, the "only Son of God," in some unknowable and inexplicable way, was God Himself come into the world. He not only intervened into history, but entered history, to become a part of it and a part of all the lives of the people of history. He was no longer just the God of nature, or the God of Moses or Abraham, or the God of the Prophets, but He was Immanuel, God with us.
II. He is the revelation of God.
God is no longer an unseen Spirit. Jesus says that in seeing Him, humankind has seen the Father (John 14:9). Jesus said that whoever has known Him has known the Father, and the Father knows them (John 17:26). When we come to Jesus, we can know the truth (vv. 14, 17) about God. We can know the God from whom all our blessings flow (v. 16). And this knowledge comes from one who "is at the Father's side," His only Son, one who is in the presence of and knows God intimately.
III. He is family.
But this is far from the last of the good news. Not only can we become acquainted with God. We can become "related" to God. God does not intend for us to have a passing knowledge, but for us to know Him with the same intimacy as Christ Jesus knows Him. We can become His children, born into His family, His heirs (Galatians 4:7).
My daughter suffered from severe allergies, so we decided to get her tested to see if some treatment was available. Because of my flexible schedule, I found myself sitting in the allergist's office answering a battery of questions. It wasn't until we were about 35 minutes into the questions regarding family background, that I suddenly began to laugh. Puzzled, the doctor asked why I was laughing. I told him I had suddenly realized that all the questions I had been answering were irrelevant. My daughter was adopted! But her manner of entry into the family was also irrelevant. She was our daughter in every sense of the word, so completely integrated into the intimate parent--child relationship that nothing else mattered.
And so it is with God. His only Son Jesus came to establish just such a relationship with those who choose to enter His family, and become brothers and sisters in Christ. What an awesome thought!
James Pettitt
Children's Sermon
Jeremiah 31:7--14
See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, those with child and those in labor, together; a great company, they shall return here. (v. 8)
Object: A jigsaw puzzle.
Good morning, boys and girls. What a great place to be on Sunday morning - here in church. Do you love being here as much as I love being here? (Let them answer.) Do you like to hear the hymns? Do you like to be with your friends? Do you like the beautiful windows and altar? (Let them answer.) This is a great place to be. It is time for worshipping God and everyone has returned to this building, the House of God.
How many of you have ever heard of a prophet by the name of Jeremiah? (Let them answer.) He was a holy man and he had a wonderful sense of vision. He could see things that other people could not see. When times were hard and people were lonely and tired, Jeremiah could see how times were going to get better. He believed in a loving God who was working for His people. Now we don't always do things that are good for us. Sometimes we get into a lot of trouble and sometimes the trouble is so big it gets other people into trouble. The more people that get in trouble, the worse it gets.
That is the way it was in the time of Jeremiah. As far as you could see there were troubles. Many people ran away from their homes looking for a safe place to live. Other people were taken prisoner and made slaves. People began to forget about God and lived in a lot of sin. The time of Jeremiah was a tough time.
I brought along a jigsaw puzzle to show you what I am talking about. (Start with a complete puzzle.) We all know that there are many parts to a puzzle. But let's name some of these parts and just kind of throw them around. This part is called disease. It makes people sick. (Throw out this piece.) Then we have people who cheat and tell lies. (Take out two more pieces.) We have war, big wars that cause a lot of hurt. (Take out three more pieces.) We have hunger because there is no one to farm. (Take out another piece.) And then there is crime and fear. (Keep removing the parts until the puzzle is completely disassembled.) Instead of having a pretty picture we have a big mess.
When the people of Jeremiah's time looked around they could only see a big mess. But Jeremiah was different. He believed in God and he knew God wanted a world of peace and sharing and healing. God despises hunger and crime and war. So Jeremiah knew that when the people came back to God that the nation they lived in would come back together and things would be good.
(Begin to pick up the parts of the puzzle and reassemble it.) Jeremiah had vision and he gathered all of the people together and told them how God would make them holy and one nation. Jeremiah had vision and he shared that vision with all of the people.
We need vision, too. We need to believe that God wants a better world and that we can be part of it if we share instead of being greedy, if we love instead of hate, if we make friends instead of enemies. The word is vision and it tells us to believe in God. Amen.
Baptism Of The Lord - Epiphany 1
WORSHIP HELPS
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Today there are more than two or three gathered in the name of the Lord.
People: God has promised to be in our midst.
Leader: Do you feel His holy presence?
People: We acknowledge His holy presence with our praise.
OFFERING THOUGHT
Dear Jesus, You told us it is more blessed to give than to receive. Help us to believe You and give today expecting nothing in return - except Your smile. Amen.
BENEDICTION
Speaker 1: Unto Him who loved us,
Speaker 2: And washed away our sins in His own blood,
Speaker 3: And has made us kings and priests unto God and His Father;
All Speakers: To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:5--6)
SERMON BRIEFS
The Rest Of The Story
Acts 19:1--7
Introduction
The work of the Holy Spirit is as clear in our culture as the Tulle fog that allegedly allowed the California farmer to shingle his roof six feet out from the house without realizing he was off the roof. Paul worked in Ephesus three years and laid a foundation for one of the first century's strongest churches.
Known for good works, patience, sound doctrine, church discipline, and hatred of evil, the church at Ephesus beckons us to higher levels of discipleship. Looking at the rest of the story, we see a need revealed, a discipleship enhanced, and a devotion fulfilled.
The remainder of our story depends upon how we interpret the Ephesians' story and how we respond.
I. First, we see a need discovered. (Acts 10:1--7; 19:1--3)
Paul, believing it was time to leave Corinth, gathered his Jerusalem offering, headed for Jerusalem via Ephesus, and promised to return if possible. Having had Ephesus as a likely objective from early on, Paul seeded the soil for this east coast center by reasoning daily in the synagogues.
Diggings expose Ephesus as a great city of shops, colonnades, and commercial buildings, surrounded by several miles of walls. The Temple of Artemis sat on a slab 234 feet by 418 feet, measuring 163 feet by 342 feet. A shopping center surrounded by the 360 feet rectangular marketplace. Paul later found himself in the 24,000--seat theater where Demetrius incited a riot (Acts 18:18--21).
Apollos relocated after being taught more adequately by Priscilla and Aquila, pursuing his vision elsewhere (18:24--28). In the meantime, Paul perceived a need and asked, "What baptism did you receive?" The Ephesians knew the baptism of John but not of the third person of the Trinity - an obvious need.
II. A discipleship enhanced (Acts 19:4--7)
The limited teaching of Apollos left the Ephesians with a partial gospel and Paul quickly diagnosed the need. He proclaimed and practiced a full gospel, and we cannot follow Jesus far without moving beyond mere repentance to spiritual maturity (cf. Hebrews 6:1; John 14:12, 22--23; 15:26--27; 16:7--11).
People repent, but lack the Spirit's anointing. They lack knowledge of the Jesus whose Spirit indwells and transforms followers into prescriptions of peace and joy for a troubled world. They lack recognition of the Jesus who anoints worshippers with joy while guiding the hurting and empowering discipled with an effective witness.
They do not serve the Jesus who changes lives by transforming taker into givers, who reorganizes their lives and converts their passive noninvolvement into accountability.
This spiritual enhancement brings wholeness through a complete consecration and moral cleansing (cf. Romans 12:1--2; Ephesians 5:25--26). Entered by faith, it progresses in growth as God Redeems Our Worth Through Himself.
III. A devotion fulfilled
A spiritual enhanced discipleship opened the way for the Church at Ephesus to become a gospel center for the province of Asia. The gospel went forth despite adversity (1 Corinthians 16:9). Evangelism expanded although opposition increased (Acts 19:8--9). People heard the gospel and God did extraordinary things (19:10--11). False disciples failed to hinder church efforts (19:13--17). Instead, as false practices were relinquished, passive believers became practicing believers and the discipled became the church (19:18--20).
Paul eventually moved on, compelled by the Holy Spirit. However, the church was no longer Paul's mission. It was not the church, properly administered, fed by God's word, and made up of faithful saints (Ephesians 1:1, 15--19a).
The gospel of the Holy Spirit transforms disciples into a true church. As God's church, the people absorbed the gospel, Timothy and John remained in leadership, and Ephesus became an exemplary stronghold. Toward the end of his life, John saw Ephesus remaining orthodox, persistent in service, and strong in discipline, but somewhat diminished in love (Revelation 2:1--7).
Conclusion
With Paul Harvey we say, "Now you know the rest of the story!" But, what will our story reveal? We will be strong only as we repent of our shortfalls and go forward in the maturity of the Holy Spirit. We will be God's church and nonbelievers will find faith only when the Holy Spirit becomes a sanctifying presence enhancing our lives by dwelling within us.
How will your story end? Have you confessed your sins and accepted Jesus? Have you placed yourself on the altar and let the Sanctifier cleanse you of spiritual impurities and sanctify you for service? Life begins at Calvary, but it finds maturity and completion in the baptizing presence of the Holy Spirit.
Wayne M. Warner
The Voice Of The Lord
Psalm 29
It wasn't too many days into parenthood that I began to notice there were differences in the cries of my infant daughter. There was the insistent cry that said, "Feed me," or "Change my diaper," laced with the urgent command to "Do it now!" There was the whimpering cry that simply said, "I need you, and need to be held by you." There was the angry cry that said, "I want my way, and I want it now." Over the years she too became familiar with my sounds when I would speak to her. She could tell when I would speak with sorrow, with love, with anger, with authority, or with hurt. When you love someone you learn to know their voice, and the different meanings that voice can convey.
So it was in David's relationship to God. As God would speak to David, and to Israel, His voice would change from time to time.
I. God's many voices
In Genesis 3:8 we hear the seeking and questioning voice of God. Adam and Eve know He is seeking them, and they are hiding from Him. We hear that voice in Matthew 11:28, when Jesus says to us, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
In 1 Kings 19:12 there is the intimate voice of God. It is not in the thunder or the lightning, but it is a "still small voice" that follows the storm. This voice is for His children, those who know His voice and are listening for His Word.
In Matthew 17:5 we hear His revelatory voice, the loving voice, the voice of the proud parent as He proclaims, "This is my son, whom I love."
In Psalm 29, David speaks of the voice of God with a familiarity that we might all envy. This particular voice has spoken throughout the history of Israel, and it was well known by His people. It is the ...
II. Voice of the glory of God
David proclaims that this voice is a powerful voice. He likens it to a great body of water stirred by lightning and wind, pushed out of its banks destroying everything in its path as a great flood (v. 10). It breaks the Cedars of Lebanon into pieces (v. 5), shakes the ground and the desert (vv. 6--8), twists the oaks and strips the forest bare (v. 9).
And verse nine says they shouted, "Glory." I can remember standing on the crest of a hill only two blocks from our home watching the surging flood waters of the South Platte River destroy everything in its path. Pieces of concrete overpasses, entire homes still mostly intact, cars, toys, and so much more were floating on the uncontrolled floodwaters. It was not a beautiful picture, and no one there felt like shouting glory. There were only tears and looks of horror in the eyes of the people around me. Why? Because the flood was uncontrolled and destructive for no purpose that could be seen.
But David suggests that God's voice of glory is more than just powerful. It is also "Majestic" (v. 4). He says, "The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned as King forever." When his voice speaks with power, that power is controlled and has purpose. God is the Lord of the flood. When He speaks with the voice of glory, there is a reason, and that reason is for the benefit of His people. It is not simply power let loose to do what it will. That power is under His control to accomplish what He wills.
Again I stood at the edge of a great body of water. It certainly had the potential power for destruction, but it was contained by an object of greater strength, Hoover Dam. What water flowed, moved only when those in charge allowed the spillway to open more or less, depending on the need. The power of the flood was channeled into the electrical power that benefited people throughout the neighboring states. That huge body of water, contained by that massive concrete wall was certainly a majestic sight. The difference between raw power and majesty was control.
God's people know He is in control. He is the sovereign God of the Universe. When he speaks, even when it is in his powerful Voice of Glory, His people find in that voice strength, blessing, and peace (v. 11). This powerful God can protect us and keep His children in perfect peace. Praise God!
James Pettitt
Children's Sermon
Mark 1:4--11
I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. (v. 8)
Object: A whole orange, a nut inside the shell, an ear of corn.
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you came to church this morning with a smile on your face and joy in your heart? (Let them answer.) I hope all of you came with joy because this is the house of the Lord and the Lord fills us with love. I want to tell you a story and see if you understand what a man named John the Baptist meant when he said, "I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
John the Baptist was like a prophet sent by God to tell everyone that Jesus was coming and when He came He was going to bring with Him a whole new way of life. John would stand in the Jordan River and preach about God, urging all the people to repent for their sins. He was a powerful man and people listening to him were filled with fear. They were afraid of what God was going to do to them if they didn't stop their sinning and turn around and follow the teachings of God. He was a man to be feared and his tongue was sharp. But John kept talking of someone else who was to come, someone who knew God even better than he did. He told people to watch out for this person who was so good that John was not even good enough to tie His sandals.
Well, the person John the Baptist was talking about was Jesus, and when John saw Jesus person to person he was very impressed. So impressed that he told people that they should follow Jesus, for He had the power of the Holy Spirit and therefore they would be as close to God as they could be on this earth. John baptized and Jesus baptized, but there was a difference. When John baptized you, you told God you were sorry. But when Jesus baptized you, you not only told God that you were sorry for your sins, but Jesus also told you that you were forgiven and that you belonged to the family of God. The baptism of Jesus is the real thing.
Let me see if this helps. I brought along a few things that may help you understand the difference. (Show them an orange.) What do we call this? (Let them answer.) That's right. It is an orange. How about this one? (Hold up a walnut or a pecan in the shell.) What is this? (Let them answer.) That's right; it is a nut. And what about this? (Hold up the ear of corn. Let them answer.) That's right; it is an ear of corn. But you don't eat the orange or the nut or the corn the way I showed them to you, do you? No, the real part of the orange is inside the skin and the nut is inside of the shell and corn is under the leaves.
John baptized, and he knew that the water was a sign of cleansing. It made people feel good to know that they were wrong when they sinned. But John knew that Jesus had something much greater; Jesus forgives us for our sins so that we are part of the family of God.
Jesus is the difference in our lives. He is like the fruit of the orange instead of the skin or the nut inside of the shell or the corn inside of the leaves. Jesus is the real difference and that is why we call Him the Son of God.
Epiphany 2
WORSHIP HELPS
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Who breaks through our gloom of depression?
People: Jesus, the Lord.
Leader: Who breaks through our illnesses to heal them?
People: Jesus, the Physician.
Leader: Who breaks through our aching hearts?
People: Jesus, the Savior.
Leader: Come, Lord, and be our strong defender!
OFFERING THOUGHT
Jesus calls us to give up our work to do His work. Today let us determine to be stewards of His jobs for our lives.
BENEDICTION
May the peace of God who loves the lost, the widowed, the alien, the orphan, the hurting, go with you to help those in need this week.
SERMON BRIEFS
By His Power
1 Corinthians 6:12--20
Introduction
Schism, separation, and sin infected the Corinthian church like a virus in a weak body. Told of the church's struggle with its culture, Paul challenged believers to live morally transformed lives that resolve stressful human relationships and result in the beauty of ethical purity and integrity--filled character.
I. Life brings problems.
Going to Corinth from Athens took travelers from the intellectual to the commercial center. Corinth serves as a city of light, a cultural ornament, as well as capital of Achaia and home for the Roman Proconsul. Most roads led to Corinth and Paul founded the church on his second missionary journey.
Some believe the church was adjacent to the synagogue and accessible to 200,000 free citizens and 400,000 slaves who provided a transient population that fed on the latest news and discussed politics, philosophy, and religion.
Corinth served as Rome's Vanity Fair, providing a heterogeneous population filled with dishonest, debauched profligate idlers. With immorality high and shame low, life remained fast--paced, corrupt, even decadent, giddy and gay, as well as superficial, cynical, and pretentious.
"That is what some of you were," Paul admitted, "but you are washed ... sanctified ... justified" in the name of Jesus and by the Spirit of God (6:11). It is easy to be ensnared in the everyday living of Paul's first eleven chapters, but he offers more than a problem--solving manual. We are to resolve life's issues "by his power," neither failing Christ nor defrauding each other (6:14).
II. Discipleship surpasses discipline
Some see Christians as no different than society, but Paul addressed people morally transformed from one life to another. "The great fact of the Christian faith is, not that it makes a man free to sin," wrote William Barclay, "but that it makes a man free not to sin."1
"By his power God raised the Lord from the dead," Paul declared, "and he will raise us also" (6:14). Salvation comes by grace not by works. Grace frees us to live under the control of Christ's person, not just his principles. As believers we are subject to no one else - or nothing else - even if legal, expedient, profitable, helpful, or advisable.
John Wesley dated his conversion from May 24, 1738. He went to Aldersgate Street "very unwillingly," but later wrote: "I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me, that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death."2
III. The integrity of the upright
Like Paul, Wesley held no illusions about humanistic ways of salvation, and he had no reservations about the redemptive power of God's grace. When we live by the power that resurrected Jesus, we discover a wholeness of life described by an ancient writer as the "integrity of the upright" (Proverbs 11:3).
Such integrity, suggests Stephen Carter, is "the faculty that enables us to discern right and wrong." It is our "guide to being guided," not so much telling us right from wrong as helping us "see the truth of right and wrong," allowing us to discern and do the will of God.3
"The wholeness that the Christian tradition identified as central to life with integrity," insists Carter, "was a wholeness in obedience to God, so that the well--lived life was a life that followed God's rules."
Paul agrees: we are one in our unity "with the Lord" (6:17); we can maintain our high view of holiness. Although many things are permissible, when Christ controls our discipline (6:12) resurrection power becomes our spiritual energy. We know, however, we journey only by his power.
Conclusion
"You'd better slow down. You're leaving tread marks!" Larry shouted, honking loudly as he stopped behind me. My walk for exercise became his moment of mischief, and he drove away pleased at having startled me.
That reminds me to keep my walk intentional, as Paul suggests. I am to walk in the resurrection, both relationally and in my body. I am bought with a price and I honor him best by inviting his presence to dwell within me and integrate my beliefs and behaviors (6:19--20).
Wayne M. Warner
____________
1. William Barclay, The Letters to the Corinthians (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1975), 56--57.
2. The Works of John Wesley (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1872 reprint), Vol. 5, p. 510.
3. Stephen L. Carter, Integrity (HarperCollins Publishers, 1996), p. 19.
A Dream Come True
Psalm 139:1--6, 13--18
"When I awake, I am still with you" (v. 18).
I can remember waking up many times from a terrible nightmare and feeling a tremendous sense of relief that it was just a nightmare and not real. There were also those times when the dream was so wonderful that waking up to the real world was a great disappointment.
One dream I remember with great clarity had to do with my dad. He had passed away about two years before the dream, and I must have been missing him more than I understood. I was in a park near the home that I grew up in and my parents had lived in for nearly forty years. I was walking by a stream in the park, watching the small minnows swim and the leaves float downstream. He always delighted in taking his grandchildren wading in that particular stream, and would laugh out loud as they would squeal at the coldness of the water. Suddenly I could see a reflection in the water of my father standing behind me, smiling and beckoning me to turn around and greet him. Right at that moment, I woke up and realized it was just a dream. I was left with mixed feelings, of joy at the wonderful memory, and sadness at missing him so much.
In these verses, David has a similar experience, but when he wakes up, he realizes it is not a dream, but reality itself. He has not really been asleep, but hidden in the "precious thoughts" of God (v. 17), and there is not disappointment there. Why, because ...
I. He is known by God. (vv. 1--6)
God has searched him. What a wonderful idea. God knows David as a person, and is interested enough in him to search him that He might come to know who he is. God cared about David enough to answer his prayer in verse 23, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts." David was not afraid to be known. He trusted God completely.
God saw his coming and his going. David was careful to do God's will, and was sure that God would see his devotion and love for Him. God had even become "familiar" with David, as one would with a family member or friend.
God knew his thoughts. Even when those thoughts were less than what God would be happy with, David was confident in his relationship. He knew that God was not just waiting to punish him, but was patient with his humanity, and willing to allow him to grow in grace. David asked God in verse 24 to let him know if there were any offensive thoughts, thoughts that were leading him astray. Then God could remind him of them so that he could repent and get back onto the way everlasting.
II. We are created by God. (vv. 13--16)
God not only pays attention to where we go, what we do, and what we think, He also knows us creatively. That is, we are part of His creation, and a part of His plan. In the eyes of humanity, accidents may happen. But in the universe of an omniscient and omnipotent God, there is a purpose for everything and everyone. These thoughts allowed David to put purpose to his sufferings. He could accept the things he could not understand. He trusted in not only in the God of Knowledge, but the Creator God.
III. When I awake ... (v. 18)
The good news for David was that it was no dream. Time after time God had proven Himself to be reliable in the time of need. He knew that each day, as sure as the sun would arise in the East, God would be there for him.
What a wonderful thought. What a precious thought. We too have this confidence. Jesus said in Matthew 28:20, "And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age."
James Pettitt
Children's Sermon
John 1:43--51
Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." (v. 46)
Object: Write up resumes on some of the children.
Good morning, boys and girls. I have been doing a little research on some of you. Do you know what that means? (Let them answer.) Actually I have been asking some questions about you and I have come up with some interesting answers. (Show them some papers with their names written on them and the information that you have gathered.*)
We have some very interesting children who are members of our congregation. When we grow up, we call this kind of information a resume. When Jesus was beginning his ministry, a lot of people did not know him. They didn't know where He was from, or what the names of His parents were. They didn't know where He had gone to school or what kind of friends He had. As a matter of fact, after Philip met Jesus and loved everything about Him, he wanted to introduce Jesus to his friend Nathanael. Nathanael had never heard about Jesus, so he asked Philip where Jesus came from. Philip told Nathanael that Jesus was from Nazareth. Nathanael was not impressed. Nathanael asked Philip the question, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Nazareth was Jesus' hometown and it was a very small village. Hardly anyone had ever heard of Nazareth or knew any of the few people who lived there. Well, Philip had an answer. He told Nathanael to "come and see." What a great answer. When people ask you about Jesus and who He is and what He is about, you have an answer. Just tell whoever asks you about Jesus to come to your Sunday school and learn about Jesus.
When Nathanael met Jesus for the first time, he realized that Jesus was the Son of God. When you go home today see if you can tell your parents everything you know about Jesus, just like I learned things about you. Maybe you and your parents can fill out a resume about Jesus. If you do and bring it back to me next Sunday, I will put it up on our bulletin board where everyone can see what you have learned about Jesus, the Son of God. Amen.
*To prepare for this sermon, make some phone calls to the parents or siblings of some of the children. Tell the parents that you are gathering information about children to use in the children's sermon on Sunday. (This is guaranteed to increase attendance.) The following are suggestions of the kind of information you might collect about each child: Name, age, name(s) of brothers and sisters, address, school name, name and kind of pet, favorite game, where they went on vacation, name of an uncle or aunt, best friend, favorite toy, food they like best, food they like least, favorite television show, etc. When you are finished you can hand the paper to the child to take home.
Epiphany 3
WORSHIP HELPS
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: God, we have a question for You. "Who can come to Your holy house and live with you?"
Speaker 1: The blameless and righteous can stay with Me.
Speaker 2: Those who speak honestly and sincerely can dwell in My house.
Speaker 3: The people who love their neighbors and do right by them have a place in My community on the hilltop.
Speaker 1: The persons who despise evilness and vileness are welcome in My sanctuary.
Speaker 2: The man or woman who keeps his or her promises even if it hurts, sees the lights of My home.
Speaker 3: Those who give their money to the poor and innocent victims of disaster have a place in My heart.
Leader: Those who live like this will never have their faith shaken and they will live in My house forever. (based on Psalm 15)
OFFERING THOUGHT
The poor and weak are God's instruments of stewardship. They know that spiritual power does not come from wealth or possessions, but from the bountiful supply of God's resources.
BENEDICTION
May God bless you beyond your wildest imagination as you go in His name.
SERMON BRIEFS
Hold To God's Unchanging Hand
1 Corinthians 7:29--31
Introduction
When we decide we lack the time to discern right from wrong and have not time to practice our model of right and wrong, Stephan Carter suggests it means simply "we do not have time for lives of integrity."1 Uncertain and changing times make it imperative that we live wisely.
I. There is life to be lived.
Paul spent eighteen months establishing the Corinthian church on his second missionary journey. On his third trip, he learned of spiritual divisions, moral and ethical disorders, and marital distresses. Cultural viruses infected the church, created problems hindering the church's ministry, and left believers shortsighted.
Time was critical and problems were numerous; the time was short and the world was in transition (7:28, 31). Believers needed to recognize the essence of Christianity as well as the transitory nature of culture. Expecting the Lord's soon return only magnified Paul's concern.
Chapter seven takes up their questions about marriage, male--female relations, et al. Since Corinth once housed a thousand temple prostitutes, this was certainly no place or time to outrage propriety with Christian liberties. Believers needed to be duly unencumbered, with their devotion to the Lord "undivided" in every circumstance (7:35).
Distinguishing between his opinions and God's word, Paul explicitly suggests that they stand steady, make no snap decisions, and focus on Christ only.
II. There is work to be done.
Ought Christians to marry? Should believers leave unbelieving spouses? Paul worked hard to sort out issues without bogging down. It became part of the pressure he faced daily in his "concern for all the churches" (2 Corinthians 11:28).
Gamaliel strengthened Paul's Jewish orthodoxy, but Jesus redirected his ministry and made him a persuasive preacher. He heralded good news, personally experienced, finding proof of God's ability to transform people in his own experience (2 Corinthians 2:12). Winning people to Christ became his primary passion, as he concluded, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21).
Whatever pressures we face today, we must never lose our passion for souls. Like Paul, let us "press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold" of us. Pursuing his passion, Paul shared history, language, and customs (Acts 13:14--43; 22:2; 23:6--9). He enriched his teaching by appealing to listeners' curiosity (Acts 16:37; 17:22), filling it with words, gestures, dramatic actions, and warnings (Acts 13:16, 40; 14:14--15).
When we complement our worship and proclamation with sound educational ministry, our open Bibles will produce changed lives, corrected churches, and instructed disciples.
III. There is a goal to be won.
Paul never lost sight of this destination. If there is not resurrection his preaching was useless, Christ was a fraud, and our faith is in vain (1 Corinthians 15:13).
John Jasper spent fifty years in slavery, 25 of those as a preacher. He died March 28, 1901, climaxing nearly 35 years as pastor of Richmond's Sixth Mount Zion church.
The 88--year--old mounted his pulpit the first Sunday of March, read from Revelation, removed his glasses, and began what became his valedictory. His biographer describes the conclusion as Jasper lunges into a dramatic and revealing conversation with the angel, all in practiced dialect rather than proper grammar.
"Now, Mr. Jasper, you can see all de folks you'se preached 'bout. Want ter see Moses?"
The conversation bounded back and forth through the Old Testament honor roll. "Yes, I wan' ter see dem, but, not now - not even his mother!"
An exasperated angel fairly shouts, "Well, John Jasper, who does you wan' ter see, anyhow?"
The old orator stood to full height, stretched his long arms with whited palms heavenward, and cried, "O Angel! Jes' lead me befo' de Great White Throne and le' me gaze a thousan' years inter de face uf my Jesus!"
He preached the following Sunday, then fell ill. On March 28, he rallied long enough to whisper, "I have finished my work. I am waiting at the River, looking across for further orders," and was gone.2
Conclusion
F. L. Eiland captures the mood of both Jasper and Paul:
Time is filled with swift transition,
Naught of earth unmoved can stand,
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God's unchanging hand.3
Wayne M. Warner
____________
1. Stephen L. Carter, Integrity (New York: Basic Books, 1996), p. 29.
2. Richard Ellsworth Day, Rhapsody in Black, the Life Story of John Jasper (Valley Forge, Pennsylvania: The Judson Press, 1953), pp. 141--142.
3. New Songs of Inspiration, Number 7 (Nashville: John T. Benson Publishing Company, 1967), p. 245.
Rest And Refuge
Psalm 62:5--12
It is a difficult time in David's life. He is being pursued by Saul's men, and his life is in danger. He is tired and in hiding, with few places to go. In his time of need, he turns to the one place he knows is safe. It is not a cave, or a safe haven surrounded by armed guards. It is not a place, but a person. It is God Himself.
As a child I had my share of nightmares. Being pursued by giant bugs, falling of a cliff, or drowning in a river or lake, I would wake up crying and afraid. When I would cry out, my father would come into the room and wrap me in his strong arms, and soon the fear would begin to fade. It was as though nothing could reach me or hurt me ever again. I was in the same room where I had the nightmares. Nothing had changed, except for the person present with me - my dad. He made all the difference.
David feels that same way in the presence of God. He gives three reasons why the presence of is a place of rest and refuge. First, God is strong. Second, God is loving. And third, God rewards those who faithfully serve Him.
I. God is strong.
David calls God a rock. In fact God is the rock upon which his salvation is founded (v. 6). He is not dependent on circumstances or feelings to determine who will deliver him from his enemies. His salvation is in God Himself. His earthly king has betrayed him. Friends have turned against him. But God has been the "Rock of Ages," the Rock that has never failed. David could sing with a more modern song writer who penned the words, "On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand."
David also calls God his Fortress. He had faith that God could surround him and keep anything not in His will away from him. He also believed that what was allowed by his sovereign God had a purpose, and because of this he could rest and find refuge in Him.
II. God is a loving God.
In Psalm 86:5, David describes God as being "forgiving and good" and "abounding in love to all who call" to Him. In 86:6, David suggests this love is a merciful love, and that God answers those who cry to Him for mercy. Because of these enduring qualities God has shown to David time and again, David has come to trust God at all times. He holds the firm belief that, even when he could not see God working, the God of mercy, and forgiveness, and all goodness would come and protect him when he cries to Him.
The little three--year--old girl had just leaped off the diving board into the big neighborhood pool into the arms of her father. A watching adult met her at the edge of the pool and asked her why she was so willing to jump into the pool, especially when the water was so deep and her daddy couldn't even touch the bottom. She simply replied, "My daddy loves me. He would never let anything happen to me that wasn't good for me." David had this same childlike faith. God loves me. When I call He will be there.
III. God rewards His people.
These rewards are not what one would think of as the usual rewards for a job well done. In verses 9 and 10 he discounts riches, power, and social position. So what is God's reward for our obedience?
For Israel the rewards were freedom from slavery, protection from the surrounding enemies (fortress and refuge), and rest and hope for their nation. For us those rewards, according to the Word, are "heavenly" rewards (Luke 6:23). Paul called them an "inheritance from the Lord" (Colossians 3:24). The reward for us is eternal life, life that ensures our place in the Kingdom of God, both in the present and for eternity. That kingdom is a kingdom in which God is still our refuge, our strength, and our help in time of need (Hebrews 4:6). And He is the one in whom we ultimately find rest (Hebrews 3--4). We too can know the God of David, and experience David's joy as we are obedient to God.
James Pettitt
Children's Sermon
Mark 1:14--20
And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fish for people." (v. 17)
Object: A fishing pole with a single hook, some worms, and a seine.
Good morning, boys and girls. On a nice winter day like today we don't usually think about going fishing. But let's pretend that it is a warm, sunny day, with a gentle breeze blowing and we are in a boat on a lake with our friends. What a perfect day. Are you ready to go fishing? (Let them answer.) Okay.
I hope you have a fishing pole like mine because we need to catch at least 250 big fish today. That means we have to catch at least 25 a person. Are you ready for some very heavy fishing? (Let them answer.) I brought along some worms, at least fifty for each of you. Do you like to put the worms on the hook?
Just think, we will be out in the boat all day, even when the sun gets really hot, and we have to be very quiet so that we will not disturb the fish who like quiet, sunny waters in which to swim. By the way, there won't be a lot of room for lunch, since we have to get all of you into one boat along with your poles and the worms, and we have to have a place for the 250 fish. It could get a little crowded. You won't mind a few fish flopping around in the boat, will you? Does this sound like a hard way to catch 250 fish? (Let them answer.) I think you are right; it is a hard way to catch fish.
I have a better way. How about using this net? We could put Sam (pick out a child) on one end and Susan (pick out another child) on the other and then we would just sweep through the water and catch fifty fish all at one time. We could sort them out, throw back the little ones, and save the 25 big ones. With ten swoops of the net, we could catch all 250. Everyone could work together and we could have our work done. How does that sound? (Let them answer.)
That's what Jesus thought about finding Christians. Jesus knew that He could do it alone if He had to. He could find Chuck and Peter and Mark and Sally one day. And then He could find Matt and Luke and Christy another day. But Jesus had a great plan. He said that He would teach the twelve disciples about God and the twelve disciples could each teach twelve people and those twelve could teach twelve more and soon there would be hundreds of people teaching hundreds of other people about God. Soon the whole world would know about the love God has for us. So now that you and all of your friends know about Jesus, you can tell someone else about Jesus. That is the kind of fishing God wants us to do. Jesus said He would make us fishers of boys and girls. And guess what? You don't need worms to catch someone for Jesus. Amen.
Discouragement sees things at their worst and does not recognize the possibility of something good. Discouragement majors on the dark side, blocking out the brighter side. It is a disease capable of destroying life and ministry.
How does one handle and resource discouragement? I offer these for your consideration.
One, admit that you are discouraged. Any problem begins with admission. When one has recognized the pain of discouragement, then one is ready to move ahead and search for solutions.
Two, do not play the "blame game." The reasons for discouragement are not always outside ourselves. Sometimes discouragement comes from our own actions - lack of planning, inefficient methods, overwork, and poor communication, to name a few. It is best to find the cause, else any solution will lead to further discouragement.
Three, check yourself. Have you become isolated? Ingrown? Have you withdrawn? Discouragement is times when all of these are probable. Too many times when you find a heart overwhelmed with discouragement, you find a heart dry from being ingrown and isolated from other, and especially from God. We need relationships, fellowship and the comfort and dialogue with others. Where these are lacking we give discouragement open invitation to do damage.
Four, pray. Prayer is our first weapon against discouragement. Prayer puts us in touch with the One Who can help us. Prayer helps us put things in perspective, as we sort it out in our petition to God. God, Who is interested in our ministry, waits to counsel and touch us in the times of our discouragement. Ralph Herring writes: "Prayer is a summit meeting in the very throne room of the universe" (Quoted by Charles "Tremendous" Jones/Bob Kelly, The Tremendous Power of Prayer, West Monroe, Louisiana: Howard Publishing Co., 2000, p. 16). The most discouraged are invited there, by their heavenly Father, to transact business that fits the soul for recovery and ministry.
Five, exercise faith. Our faith should teach us that whatever it is that discourages us, is in the hands of a wiser mind than ours - our heavenly Father. Faith is the privilege of every Christian, but too often is blunted in the times of discouragement. Max Lucado has good advice for us when he writes, "Don't measure the size of the mountain; talk to the One who can move it" (Traveling Lights, Nashville: W Publishing Group, 2001, p. 102).
Six, encourage others. Find someone who is discouraged and be a Barnabas to them. The focus on another will help clear the debris from your mind and set you on the road to encouragement. Your interest in another's problems, sometimes makes yours seem small or insignificant.
Seven, stay at the task of ministry. Do what you know is needed in ministry to others, in preparation for the pulpit, in visitation, in service, and in counseling. Through the ministry to which God has called you, will come the healing for discouragement. From ministry to others comes the encouragement we need to climb out of the cellar of discouragement and be on our way to hope and living.
Pastor, be encouraged - there is hope for the discouraged heart. God is in charge and He will cover you with grace and extend peace to your troubled heart. It is His promise to you.
C. Neil Strait
Second Sunday After Christmas
WORSHIP HELPS
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
People: All hail the God of creation.
Leader: Let the angels declare His glory.
People: Let people proclaim His majesty.
Leader: Let the earth cry out His name.
All: We at His feet shall fall.
OFFERING THOUGHT
Yours, O Lord, is the Kingdom; You are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from You; You are the ruler of all things. In Your hands are strength and power. Our God, we give You thanks, and praise Your glorious name. (1 Chronicles 29:11b--13)
BENEDICTION
Lift up your eyes to heaven and experience the God who loves you.
SERMON BRIEFS
New Life For A New Year
Ephesians 1:3--14
Introduction:
Paul's letter to the Ephesians looks backward beyond Calvary and sees forward beyond Pentecost. He describes a people for today, where each believer has an incredible future, and everybody is somebody.
I. God chose us before creation.
Christianity introduced winds of change to Ephesus, bringing a spiritual awakening. Ephesus challenged Paul as a coastal center of commerce, politics, and religion. It provided a cultic hotbed where religious memorabilia brought huge profits, but it promised a synagogue from which Paul proclaimed his Gospel of Grace.
God used Paul's prison experience to perform the last rites on Ephesian paganism while revealing the wealth of God's blessings. Paganism, like O'Reilly's gambling, never fully recovered from the blow Paul struck.
O'Reilly was down on his luck gambling, but seeing a priest anointing a horse he bet all his money on that horse. It finished last and O'Reilly grumbled, "... I bet on a horse because ye stopped to bless it and it finished last!"
"But, O'Reilly, my good man," answered the priest, "you don't understand. I wasn't blessing that horse. I was giving him last rites."
On the other hand, Acres of Diamonds by Russell Conwell described a failing African farmer who sold his farm, went searching for diamonds, and ended his life in a desperate suicide. The new owner looked at the strange stones covering his farm, took one to a jeweler, and learned he owned the world's biggest diamond mine. He became outrageously wealthy.
Paul aware of his wealth in Christ poured forth a song of praise, both for past grace (vv. 4--6) and the grace of present redemption (vv. 7--12), as well as a secured future (vv. 13--14). He calls us to demonstrate our sainthood with saintly behavior. He reminds us grace comes to the faithful not the professors.
II. Christ redeemed us through his cross.
Past grace helped Paul experience present grace, redemption from the sin of his early rebellion. Paul saw himself as a trophy of grace, a chosen vessel for helping people obtain the glory of God's grace freely abounding through Jesus (1:4--6).
An early American evangelist touched the life of Sebastian, a Canadian lumberjack. Sebastian responded by becoming a preacher. He later became the evangelist's benefactor and helped him become a world--class publisher and reformer. Late in life, Sebastian mentored my father and launched the congregation that nurtured me.
They are both gone, but my father devoted 68 years before leaving others of us to carry forward the banner of praise. Like Paul, I confess:
This is my Father's world, O let me ne'er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father's world: why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King let the heavens ring. God reigns let the earth be glad.
Maltbie D. Babcock
III. The Holy Spirit sealed us.
A journey to the cross brings us truth of new life (v. 13). Our New Year's message announces that we are not yet all we can become through Him. God the Father finished His plan. Jesus the Son finished the work the Father gave Him to do. God the Holy Spirit remains our seal of approval, helping us fulfill God's pledge.
Because we are His, we live "in Christ" to the "praise of his glory" (v. 12, cf. vv. 3, 6, 12, 14). We understand we cannot explain our salvation without recognizing the ministry of both the Spirit and the Word. The Holy Spirit is our deposit, our down payment toward our final inheritance in Christ. Pledged as God's personal possession, we remain sealed evidence.
We live our lives as a song of praise to Him. We continually seek the mind of Christ for personal direction, and always follow His direction in bringing all of creation under the headship of Christ (1:10).
Conclusion
On the eve of her execution, Lady Jane Grey sent her Greek Testament to her sister with a prayer that God would give her sister grace to live in the fear of God and die in true faith in Christ.
Paul accepted his long hours of confinement and found an open window for wider service. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Paul lived by grace. Adversity cut and buffed him, but God polished him into a shining jewel. Praise be to God!
Wayne M. Warner
God The Only Son
John 1:1--18
I remember growing up watching episodes of The Lone Ranger. At the end of each show the hero would ride off into the sunset with his trusty companion Tonto, and someone would ask the question, "Who is that masked man?" No one knew his real name, or where he came from, or why he did what he did. He just went wandering about, anonymously fighting the bad guys and doing good. I always suspected he was not only the "Lone" ranger, but the "lonely" ranger.
John uses an unusual phrase in verse 18. He calls Jesus "God the only Son." Many saw God as impersonal, a force of nature, only one of many gods who intervened into the world on occasion to right a wrong, levy justice when it suited Him, getting involved only when necessary. Even for the Israelites, He was the God of the Holy of Holies, only accessible to a few on behalf of all Israel. Without a personal relationship with Him, it was always so easy for Israel to wander away, and leave God to His business. They often had to be reminded of who He was and who they were in relation to Him.
John sets out in this chapter to set the record straight. Jesus, who was the "only Son," has come in a final answer to the question, "Who is he?"
I. He is God in every respect.
And Jesus is God. Jesus was before the world, pre--existent, and eternal (In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God). He is the Creator (v. 3). He is the source of all life (v. 4). He is the source of all light and truth (vv. 4--5).
This Jesus, the "only Son of God," in some unknowable and inexplicable way, was God Himself come into the world. He not only intervened into history, but entered history, to become a part of it and a part of all the lives of the people of history. He was no longer just the God of nature, or the God of Moses or Abraham, or the God of the Prophets, but He was Immanuel, God with us.
II. He is the revelation of God.
God is no longer an unseen Spirit. Jesus says that in seeing Him, humankind has seen the Father (John 14:9). Jesus said that whoever has known Him has known the Father, and the Father knows them (John 17:26). When we come to Jesus, we can know the truth (vv. 14, 17) about God. We can know the God from whom all our blessings flow (v. 16). And this knowledge comes from one who "is at the Father's side," His only Son, one who is in the presence of and knows God intimately.
III. He is family.
But this is far from the last of the good news. Not only can we become acquainted with God. We can become "related" to God. God does not intend for us to have a passing knowledge, but for us to know Him with the same intimacy as Christ Jesus knows Him. We can become His children, born into His family, His heirs (Galatians 4:7).
My daughter suffered from severe allergies, so we decided to get her tested to see if some treatment was available. Because of my flexible schedule, I found myself sitting in the allergist's office answering a battery of questions. It wasn't until we were about 35 minutes into the questions regarding family background, that I suddenly began to laugh. Puzzled, the doctor asked why I was laughing. I told him I had suddenly realized that all the questions I had been answering were irrelevant. My daughter was adopted! But her manner of entry into the family was also irrelevant. She was our daughter in every sense of the word, so completely integrated into the intimate parent--child relationship that nothing else mattered.
And so it is with God. His only Son Jesus came to establish just such a relationship with those who choose to enter His family, and become brothers and sisters in Christ. What an awesome thought!
James Pettitt
Children's Sermon
Jeremiah 31:7--14
See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, those with child and those in labor, together; a great company, they shall return here. (v. 8)
Object: A jigsaw puzzle.
Good morning, boys and girls. What a great place to be on Sunday morning - here in church. Do you love being here as much as I love being here? (Let them answer.) Do you like to hear the hymns? Do you like to be with your friends? Do you like the beautiful windows and altar? (Let them answer.) This is a great place to be. It is time for worshipping God and everyone has returned to this building, the House of God.
How many of you have ever heard of a prophet by the name of Jeremiah? (Let them answer.) He was a holy man and he had a wonderful sense of vision. He could see things that other people could not see. When times were hard and people were lonely and tired, Jeremiah could see how times were going to get better. He believed in a loving God who was working for His people. Now we don't always do things that are good for us. Sometimes we get into a lot of trouble and sometimes the trouble is so big it gets other people into trouble. The more people that get in trouble, the worse it gets.
That is the way it was in the time of Jeremiah. As far as you could see there were troubles. Many people ran away from their homes looking for a safe place to live. Other people were taken prisoner and made slaves. People began to forget about God and lived in a lot of sin. The time of Jeremiah was a tough time.
I brought along a jigsaw puzzle to show you what I am talking about. (Start with a complete puzzle.) We all know that there are many parts to a puzzle. But let's name some of these parts and just kind of throw them around. This part is called disease. It makes people sick. (Throw out this piece.) Then we have people who cheat and tell lies. (Take out two more pieces.) We have war, big wars that cause a lot of hurt. (Take out three more pieces.) We have hunger because there is no one to farm. (Take out another piece.) And then there is crime and fear. (Keep removing the parts until the puzzle is completely disassembled.) Instead of having a pretty picture we have a big mess.
When the people of Jeremiah's time looked around they could only see a big mess. But Jeremiah was different. He believed in God and he knew God wanted a world of peace and sharing and healing. God despises hunger and crime and war. So Jeremiah knew that when the people came back to God that the nation they lived in would come back together and things would be good.
(Begin to pick up the parts of the puzzle and reassemble it.) Jeremiah had vision and he gathered all of the people together and told them how God would make them holy and one nation. Jeremiah had vision and he shared that vision with all of the people.
We need vision, too. We need to believe that God wants a better world and that we can be part of it if we share instead of being greedy, if we love instead of hate, if we make friends instead of enemies. The word is vision and it tells us to believe in God. Amen.
Baptism Of The Lord - Epiphany 1
WORSHIP HELPS
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Today there are more than two or three gathered in the name of the Lord.
People: God has promised to be in our midst.
Leader: Do you feel His holy presence?
People: We acknowledge His holy presence with our praise.
OFFERING THOUGHT
Dear Jesus, You told us it is more blessed to give than to receive. Help us to believe You and give today expecting nothing in return - except Your smile. Amen.
BENEDICTION
Speaker 1: Unto Him who loved us,
Speaker 2: And washed away our sins in His own blood,
Speaker 3: And has made us kings and priests unto God and His Father;
All Speakers: To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:5--6)
SERMON BRIEFS
The Rest Of The Story
Acts 19:1--7
Introduction
The work of the Holy Spirit is as clear in our culture as the Tulle fog that allegedly allowed the California farmer to shingle his roof six feet out from the house without realizing he was off the roof. Paul worked in Ephesus three years and laid a foundation for one of the first century's strongest churches.
Known for good works, patience, sound doctrine, church discipline, and hatred of evil, the church at Ephesus beckons us to higher levels of discipleship. Looking at the rest of the story, we see a need revealed, a discipleship enhanced, and a devotion fulfilled.
The remainder of our story depends upon how we interpret the Ephesians' story and how we respond.
I. First, we see a need discovered. (Acts 10:1--7; 19:1--3)
Paul, believing it was time to leave Corinth, gathered his Jerusalem offering, headed for Jerusalem via Ephesus, and promised to return if possible. Having had Ephesus as a likely objective from early on, Paul seeded the soil for this east coast center by reasoning daily in the synagogues.
Diggings expose Ephesus as a great city of shops, colonnades, and commercial buildings, surrounded by several miles of walls. The Temple of Artemis sat on a slab 234 feet by 418 feet, measuring 163 feet by 342 feet. A shopping center surrounded by the 360 feet rectangular marketplace. Paul later found himself in the 24,000--seat theater where Demetrius incited a riot (Acts 18:18--21).
Apollos relocated after being taught more adequately by Priscilla and Aquila, pursuing his vision elsewhere (18:24--28). In the meantime, Paul perceived a need and asked, "What baptism did you receive?" The Ephesians knew the baptism of John but not of the third person of the Trinity - an obvious need.
II. A discipleship enhanced (Acts 19:4--7)
The limited teaching of Apollos left the Ephesians with a partial gospel and Paul quickly diagnosed the need. He proclaimed and practiced a full gospel, and we cannot follow Jesus far without moving beyond mere repentance to spiritual maturity (cf. Hebrews 6:1; John 14:12, 22--23; 15:26--27; 16:7--11).
People repent, but lack the Spirit's anointing. They lack knowledge of the Jesus whose Spirit indwells and transforms followers into prescriptions of peace and joy for a troubled world. They lack recognition of the Jesus who anoints worshippers with joy while guiding the hurting and empowering discipled with an effective witness.
They do not serve the Jesus who changes lives by transforming taker into givers, who reorganizes their lives and converts their passive noninvolvement into accountability.
This spiritual enhancement brings wholeness through a complete consecration and moral cleansing (cf. Romans 12:1--2; Ephesians 5:25--26). Entered by faith, it progresses in growth as God Redeems Our Worth Through Himself.
III. A devotion fulfilled
A spiritual enhanced discipleship opened the way for the Church at Ephesus to become a gospel center for the province of Asia. The gospel went forth despite adversity (1 Corinthians 16:9). Evangelism expanded although opposition increased (Acts 19:8--9). People heard the gospel and God did extraordinary things (19:10--11). False disciples failed to hinder church efforts (19:13--17). Instead, as false practices were relinquished, passive believers became practicing believers and the discipled became the church (19:18--20).
Paul eventually moved on, compelled by the Holy Spirit. However, the church was no longer Paul's mission. It was not the church, properly administered, fed by God's word, and made up of faithful saints (Ephesians 1:1, 15--19a).
The gospel of the Holy Spirit transforms disciples into a true church. As God's church, the people absorbed the gospel, Timothy and John remained in leadership, and Ephesus became an exemplary stronghold. Toward the end of his life, John saw Ephesus remaining orthodox, persistent in service, and strong in discipline, but somewhat diminished in love (Revelation 2:1--7).
Conclusion
With Paul Harvey we say, "Now you know the rest of the story!" But, what will our story reveal? We will be strong only as we repent of our shortfalls and go forward in the maturity of the Holy Spirit. We will be God's church and nonbelievers will find faith only when the Holy Spirit becomes a sanctifying presence enhancing our lives by dwelling within us.
How will your story end? Have you confessed your sins and accepted Jesus? Have you placed yourself on the altar and let the Sanctifier cleanse you of spiritual impurities and sanctify you for service? Life begins at Calvary, but it finds maturity and completion in the baptizing presence of the Holy Spirit.
Wayne M. Warner
The Voice Of The Lord
Psalm 29
It wasn't too many days into parenthood that I began to notice there were differences in the cries of my infant daughter. There was the insistent cry that said, "Feed me," or "Change my diaper," laced with the urgent command to "Do it now!" There was the whimpering cry that simply said, "I need you, and need to be held by you." There was the angry cry that said, "I want my way, and I want it now." Over the years she too became familiar with my sounds when I would speak to her. She could tell when I would speak with sorrow, with love, with anger, with authority, or with hurt. When you love someone you learn to know their voice, and the different meanings that voice can convey.
So it was in David's relationship to God. As God would speak to David, and to Israel, His voice would change from time to time.
I. God's many voices
In Genesis 3:8 we hear the seeking and questioning voice of God. Adam and Eve know He is seeking them, and they are hiding from Him. We hear that voice in Matthew 11:28, when Jesus says to us, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
In 1 Kings 19:12 there is the intimate voice of God. It is not in the thunder or the lightning, but it is a "still small voice" that follows the storm. This voice is for His children, those who know His voice and are listening for His Word.
In Matthew 17:5 we hear His revelatory voice, the loving voice, the voice of the proud parent as He proclaims, "This is my son, whom I love."
In Psalm 29, David speaks of the voice of God with a familiarity that we might all envy. This particular voice has spoken throughout the history of Israel, and it was well known by His people. It is the ...
II. Voice of the glory of God
David proclaims that this voice is a powerful voice. He likens it to a great body of water stirred by lightning and wind, pushed out of its banks destroying everything in its path as a great flood (v. 10). It breaks the Cedars of Lebanon into pieces (v. 5), shakes the ground and the desert (vv. 6--8), twists the oaks and strips the forest bare (v. 9).
And verse nine says they shouted, "Glory." I can remember standing on the crest of a hill only two blocks from our home watching the surging flood waters of the South Platte River destroy everything in its path. Pieces of concrete overpasses, entire homes still mostly intact, cars, toys, and so much more were floating on the uncontrolled floodwaters. It was not a beautiful picture, and no one there felt like shouting glory. There were only tears and looks of horror in the eyes of the people around me. Why? Because the flood was uncontrolled and destructive for no purpose that could be seen.
But David suggests that God's voice of glory is more than just powerful. It is also "Majestic" (v. 4). He says, "The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned as King forever." When his voice speaks with power, that power is controlled and has purpose. God is the Lord of the flood. When He speaks with the voice of glory, there is a reason, and that reason is for the benefit of His people. It is not simply power let loose to do what it will. That power is under His control to accomplish what He wills.
Again I stood at the edge of a great body of water. It certainly had the potential power for destruction, but it was contained by an object of greater strength, Hoover Dam. What water flowed, moved only when those in charge allowed the spillway to open more or less, depending on the need. The power of the flood was channeled into the electrical power that benefited people throughout the neighboring states. That huge body of water, contained by that massive concrete wall was certainly a majestic sight. The difference between raw power and majesty was control.
God's people know He is in control. He is the sovereign God of the Universe. When he speaks, even when it is in his powerful Voice of Glory, His people find in that voice strength, blessing, and peace (v. 11). This powerful God can protect us and keep His children in perfect peace. Praise God!
James Pettitt
Children's Sermon
Mark 1:4--11
I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. (v. 8)
Object: A whole orange, a nut inside the shell, an ear of corn.
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you came to church this morning with a smile on your face and joy in your heart? (Let them answer.) I hope all of you came with joy because this is the house of the Lord and the Lord fills us with love. I want to tell you a story and see if you understand what a man named John the Baptist meant when he said, "I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
John the Baptist was like a prophet sent by God to tell everyone that Jesus was coming and when He came He was going to bring with Him a whole new way of life. John would stand in the Jordan River and preach about God, urging all the people to repent for their sins. He was a powerful man and people listening to him were filled with fear. They were afraid of what God was going to do to them if they didn't stop their sinning and turn around and follow the teachings of God. He was a man to be feared and his tongue was sharp. But John kept talking of someone else who was to come, someone who knew God even better than he did. He told people to watch out for this person who was so good that John was not even good enough to tie His sandals.
Well, the person John the Baptist was talking about was Jesus, and when John saw Jesus person to person he was very impressed. So impressed that he told people that they should follow Jesus, for He had the power of the Holy Spirit and therefore they would be as close to God as they could be on this earth. John baptized and Jesus baptized, but there was a difference. When John baptized you, you told God you were sorry. But when Jesus baptized you, you not only told God that you were sorry for your sins, but Jesus also told you that you were forgiven and that you belonged to the family of God. The baptism of Jesus is the real thing.
Let me see if this helps. I brought along a few things that may help you understand the difference. (Show them an orange.) What do we call this? (Let them answer.) That's right. It is an orange. How about this one? (Hold up a walnut or a pecan in the shell.) What is this? (Let them answer.) That's right; it is a nut. And what about this? (Hold up the ear of corn. Let them answer.) That's right; it is an ear of corn. But you don't eat the orange or the nut or the corn the way I showed them to you, do you? No, the real part of the orange is inside the skin and the nut is inside of the shell and corn is under the leaves.
John baptized, and he knew that the water was a sign of cleansing. It made people feel good to know that they were wrong when they sinned. But John knew that Jesus had something much greater; Jesus forgives us for our sins so that we are part of the family of God.
Jesus is the difference in our lives. He is like the fruit of the orange instead of the skin or the nut inside of the shell or the corn inside of the leaves. Jesus is the real difference and that is why we call Him the Son of God.
Epiphany 2
WORSHIP HELPS
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Who breaks through our gloom of depression?
People: Jesus, the Lord.
Leader: Who breaks through our illnesses to heal them?
People: Jesus, the Physician.
Leader: Who breaks through our aching hearts?
People: Jesus, the Savior.
Leader: Come, Lord, and be our strong defender!
OFFERING THOUGHT
Jesus calls us to give up our work to do His work. Today let us determine to be stewards of His jobs for our lives.
BENEDICTION
May the peace of God who loves the lost, the widowed, the alien, the orphan, the hurting, go with you to help those in need this week.
SERMON BRIEFS
By His Power
1 Corinthians 6:12--20
Introduction
Schism, separation, and sin infected the Corinthian church like a virus in a weak body. Told of the church's struggle with its culture, Paul challenged believers to live morally transformed lives that resolve stressful human relationships and result in the beauty of ethical purity and integrity--filled character.
I. Life brings problems.
Going to Corinth from Athens took travelers from the intellectual to the commercial center. Corinth serves as a city of light, a cultural ornament, as well as capital of Achaia and home for the Roman Proconsul. Most roads led to Corinth and Paul founded the church on his second missionary journey.
Some believe the church was adjacent to the synagogue and accessible to 200,000 free citizens and 400,000 slaves who provided a transient population that fed on the latest news and discussed politics, philosophy, and religion.
Corinth served as Rome's Vanity Fair, providing a heterogeneous population filled with dishonest, debauched profligate idlers. With immorality high and shame low, life remained fast--paced, corrupt, even decadent, giddy and gay, as well as superficial, cynical, and pretentious.
"That is what some of you were," Paul admitted, "but you are washed ... sanctified ... justified" in the name of Jesus and by the Spirit of God (6:11). It is easy to be ensnared in the everyday living of Paul's first eleven chapters, but he offers more than a problem--solving manual. We are to resolve life's issues "by his power," neither failing Christ nor defrauding each other (6:14).
II. Discipleship surpasses discipline
Some see Christians as no different than society, but Paul addressed people morally transformed from one life to another. "The great fact of the Christian faith is, not that it makes a man free to sin," wrote William Barclay, "but that it makes a man free not to sin."1
"By his power God raised the Lord from the dead," Paul declared, "and he will raise us also" (6:14). Salvation comes by grace not by works. Grace frees us to live under the control of Christ's person, not just his principles. As believers we are subject to no one else - or nothing else - even if legal, expedient, profitable, helpful, or advisable.
John Wesley dated his conversion from May 24, 1738. He went to Aldersgate Street "very unwillingly," but later wrote: "I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me, that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death."2
III. The integrity of the upright
Like Paul, Wesley held no illusions about humanistic ways of salvation, and he had no reservations about the redemptive power of God's grace. When we live by the power that resurrected Jesus, we discover a wholeness of life described by an ancient writer as the "integrity of the upright" (Proverbs 11:3).
Such integrity, suggests Stephen Carter, is "the faculty that enables us to discern right and wrong." It is our "guide to being guided," not so much telling us right from wrong as helping us "see the truth of right and wrong," allowing us to discern and do the will of God.3
"The wholeness that the Christian tradition identified as central to life with integrity," insists Carter, "was a wholeness in obedience to God, so that the well--lived life was a life that followed God's rules."
Paul agrees: we are one in our unity "with the Lord" (6:17); we can maintain our high view of holiness. Although many things are permissible, when Christ controls our discipline (6:12) resurrection power becomes our spiritual energy. We know, however, we journey only by his power.
Conclusion
"You'd better slow down. You're leaving tread marks!" Larry shouted, honking loudly as he stopped behind me. My walk for exercise became his moment of mischief, and he drove away pleased at having startled me.
That reminds me to keep my walk intentional, as Paul suggests. I am to walk in the resurrection, both relationally and in my body. I am bought with a price and I honor him best by inviting his presence to dwell within me and integrate my beliefs and behaviors (6:19--20).
Wayne M. Warner
____________
1. William Barclay, The Letters to the Corinthians (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1975), 56--57.
2. The Works of John Wesley (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1872 reprint), Vol. 5, p. 510.
3. Stephen L. Carter, Integrity (HarperCollins Publishers, 1996), p. 19.
A Dream Come True
Psalm 139:1--6, 13--18
"When I awake, I am still with you" (v. 18).
I can remember waking up many times from a terrible nightmare and feeling a tremendous sense of relief that it was just a nightmare and not real. There were also those times when the dream was so wonderful that waking up to the real world was a great disappointment.
One dream I remember with great clarity had to do with my dad. He had passed away about two years before the dream, and I must have been missing him more than I understood. I was in a park near the home that I grew up in and my parents had lived in for nearly forty years. I was walking by a stream in the park, watching the small minnows swim and the leaves float downstream. He always delighted in taking his grandchildren wading in that particular stream, and would laugh out loud as they would squeal at the coldness of the water. Suddenly I could see a reflection in the water of my father standing behind me, smiling and beckoning me to turn around and greet him. Right at that moment, I woke up and realized it was just a dream. I was left with mixed feelings, of joy at the wonderful memory, and sadness at missing him so much.
In these verses, David has a similar experience, but when he wakes up, he realizes it is not a dream, but reality itself. He has not really been asleep, but hidden in the "precious thoughts" of God (v. 17), and there is not disappointment there. Why, because ...
I. He is known by God. (vv. 1--6)
God has searched him. What a wonderful idea. God knows David as a person, and is interested enough in him to search him that He might come to know who he is. God cared about David enough to answer his prayer in verse 23, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts." David was not afraid to be known. He trusted God completely.
God saw his coming and his going. David was careful to do God's will, and was sure that God would see his devotion and love for Him. God had even become "familiar" with David, as one would with a family member or friend.
God knew his thoughts. Even when those thoughts were less than what God would be happy with, David was confident in his relationship. He knew that God was not just waiting to punish him, but was patient with his humanity, and willing to allow him to grow in grace. David asked God in verse 24 to let him know if there were any offensive thoughts, thoughts that were leading him astray. Then God could remind him of them so that he could repent and get back onto the way everlasting.
II. We are created by God. (vv. 13--16)
God not only pays attention to where we go, what we do, and what we think, He also knows us creatively. That is, we are part of His creation, and a part of His plan. In the eyes of humanity, accidents may happen. But in the universe of an omniscient and omnipotent God, there is a purpose for everything and everyone. These thoughts allowed David to put purpose to his sufferings. He could accept the things he could not understand. He trusted in not only in the God of Knowledge, but the Creator God.
III. When I awake ... (v. 18)
The good news for David was that it was no dream. Time after time God had proven Himself to be reliable in the time of need. He knew that each day, as sure as the sun would arise in the East, God would be there for him.
What a wonderful thought. What a precious thought. We too have this confidence. Jesus said in Matthew 28:20, "And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age."
James Pettitt
Children's Sermon
John 1:43--51
Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." (v. 46)
Object: Write up resumes on some of the children.
Good morning, boys and girls. I have been doing a little research on some of you. Do you know what that means? (Let them answer.) Actually I have been asking some questions about you and I have come up with some interesting answers. (Show them some papers with their names written on them and the information that you have gathered.*)
We have some very interesting children who are members of our congregation. When we grow up, we call this kind of information a resume. When Jesus was beginning his ministry, a lot of people did not know him. They didn't know where He was from, or what the names of His parents were. They didn't know where He had gone to school or what kind of friends He had. As a matter of fact, after Philip met Jesus and loved everything about Him, he wanted to introduce Jesus to his friend Nathanael. Nathanael had never heard about Jesus, so he asked Philip where Jesus came from. Philip told Nathanael that Jesus was from Nazareth. Nathanael was not impressed. Nathanael asked Philip the question, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Nazareth was Jesus' hometown and it was a very small village. Hardly anyone had ever heard of Nazareth or knew any of the few people who lived there. Well, Philip had an answer. He told Nathanael to "come and see." What a great answer. When people ask you about Jesus and who He is and what He is about, you have an answer. Just tell whoever asks you about Jesus to come to your Sunday school and learn about Jesus.
When Nathanael met Jesus for the first time, he realized that Jesus was the Son of God. When you go home today see if you can tell your parents everything you know about Jesus, just like I learned things about you. Maybe you and your parents can fill out a resume about Jesus. If you do and bring it back to me next Sunday, I will put it up on our bulletin board where everyone can see what you have learned about Jesus, the Son of God. Amen.
*To prepare for this sermon, make some phone calls to the parents or siblings of some of the children. Tell the parents that you are gathering information about children to use in the children's sermon on Sunday. (This is guaranteed to increase attendance.) The following are suggestions of the kind of information you might collect about each child: Name, age, name(s) of brothers and sisters, address, school name, name and kind of pet, favorite game, where they went on vacation, name of an uncle or aunt, best friend, favorite toy, food they like best, food they like least, favorite television show, etc. When you are finished you can hand the paper to the child to take home.
Epiphany 3
WORSHIP HELPS
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: God, we have a question for You. "Who can come to Your holy house and live with you?"
Speaker 1: The blameless and righteous can stay with Me.
Speaker 2: Those who speak honestly and sincerely can dwell in My house.
Speaker 3: The people who love their neighbors and do right by them have a place in My community on the hilltop.
Speaker 1: The persons who despise evilness and vileness are welcome in My sanctuary.
Speaker 2: The man or woman who keeps his or her promises even if it hurts, sees the lights of My home.
Speaker 3: Those who give their money to the poor and innocent victims of disaster have a place in My heart.
Leader: Those who live like this will never have their faith shaken and they will live in My house forever. (based on Psalm 15)
OFFERING THOUGHT
The poor and weak are God's instruments of stewardship. They know that spiritual power does not come from wealth or possessions, but from the bountiful supply of God's resources.
BENEDICTION
May God bless you beyond your wildest imagination as you go in His name.
SERMON BRIEFS
Hold To God's Unchanging Hand
1 Corinthians 7:29--31
Introduction
When we decide we lack the time to discern right from wrong and have not time to practice our model of right and wrong, Stephan Carter suggests it means simply "we do not have time for lives of integrity."1 Uncertain and changing times make it imperative that we live wisely.
I. There is life to be lived.
Paul spent eighteen months establishing the Corinthian church on his second missionary journey. On his third trip, he learned of spiritual divisions, moral and ethical disorders, and marital distresses. Cultural viruses infected the church, created problems hindering the church's ministry, and left believers shortsighted.
Time was critical and problems were numerous; the time was short and the world was in transition (7:28, 31). Believers needed to recognize the essence of Christianity as well as the transitory nature of culture. Expecting the Lord's soon return only magnified Paul's concern.
Chapter seven takes up their questions about marriage, male--female relations, et al. Since Corinth once housed a thousand temple prostitutes, this was certainly no place or time to outrage propriety with Christian liberties. Believers needed to be duly unencumbered, with their devotion to the Lord "undivided" in every circumstance (7:35).
Distinguishing between his opinions and God's word, Paul explicitly suggests that they stand steady, make no snap decisions, and focus on Christ only.
II. There is work to be done.
Ought Christians to marry? Should believers leave unbelieving spouses? Paul worked hard to sort out issues without bogging down. It became part of the pressure he faced daily in his "concern for all the churches" (2 Corinthians 11:28).
Gamaliel strengthened Paul's Jewish orthodoxy, but Jesus redirected his ministry and made him a persuasive preacher. He heralded good news, personally experienced, finding proof of God's ability to transform people in his own experience (2 Corinthians 2:12). Winning people to Christ became his primary passion, as he concluded, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21).
Whatever pressures we face today, we must never lose our passion for souls. Like Paul, let us "press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold" of us. Pursuing his passion, Paul shared history, language, and customs (Acts 13:14--43; 22:2; 23:6--9). He enriched his teaching by appealing to listeners' curiosity (Acts 16:37; 17:22), filling it with words, gestures, dramatic actions, and warnings (Acts 13:16, 40; 14:14--15).
When we complement our worship and proclamation with sound educational ministry, our open Bibles will produce changed lives, corrected churches, and instructed disciples.
III. There is a goal to be won.
Paul never lost sight of this destination. If there is not resurrection his preaching was useless, Christ was a fraud, and our faith is in vain (1 Corinthians 15:13).
John Jasper spent fifty years in slavery, 25 of those as a preacher. He died March 28, 1901, climaxing nearly 35 years as pastor of Richmond's Sixth Mount Zion church.
The 88--year--old mounted his pulpit the first Sunday of March, read from Revelation, removed his glasses, and began what became his valedictory. His biographer describes the conclusion as Jasper lunges into a dramatic and revealing conversation with the angel, all in practiced dialect rather than proper grammar.
"Now, Mr. Jasper, you can see all de folks you'se preached 'bout. Want ter see Moses?"
The conversation bounded back and forth through the Old Testament honor roll. "Yes, I wan' ter see dem, but, not now - not even his mother!"
An exasperated angel fairly shouts, "Well, John Jasper, who does you wan' ter see, anyhow?"
The old orator stood to full height, stretched his long arms with whited palms heavenward, and cried, "O Angel! Jes' lead me befo' de Great White Throne and le' me gaze a thousan' years inter de face uf my Jesus!"
He preached the following Sunday, then fell ill. On March 28, he rallied long enough to whisper, "I have finished my work. I am waiting at the River, looking across for further orders," and was gone.2
Conclusion
F. L. Eiland captures the mood of both Jasper and Paul:
Time is filled with swift transition,
Naught of earth unmoved can stand,
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God's unchanging hand.3
Wayne M. Warner
____________
1. Stephen L. Carter, Integrity (New York: Basic Books, 1996), p. 29.
2. Richard Ellsworth Day, Rhapsody in Black, the Life Story of John Jasper (Valley Forge, Pennsylvania: The Judson Press, 1953), pp. 141--142.
3. New Songs of Inspiration, Number 7 (Nashville: John T. Benson Publishing Company, 1967), p. 245.
Rest And Refuge
Psalm 62:5--12
It is a difficult time in David's life. He is being pursued by Saul's men, and his life is in danger. He is tired and in hiding, with few places to go. In his time of need, he turns to the one place he knows is safe. It is not a cave, or a safe haven surrounded by armed guards. It is not a place, but a person. It is God Himself.
As a child I had my share of nightmares. Being pursued by giant bugs, falling of a cliff, or drowning in a river or lake, I would wake up crying and afraid. When I would cry out, my father would come into the room and wrap me in his strong arms, and soon the fear would begin to fade. It was as though nothing could reach me or hurt me ever again. I was in the same room where I had the nightmares. Nothing had changed, except for the person present with me - my dad. He made all the difference.
David feels that same way in the presence of God. He gives three reasons why the presence of is a place of rest and refuge. First, God is strong. Second, God is loving. And third, God rewards those who faithfully serve Him.
I. God is strong.
David calls God a rock. In fact God is the rock upon which his salvation is founded (v. 6). He is not dependent on circumstances or feelings to determine who will deliver him from his enemies. His salvation is in God Himself. His earthly king has betrayed him. Friends have turned against him. But God has been the "Rock of Ages," the Rock that has never failed. David could sing with a more modern song writer who penned the words, "On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand."
David also calls God his Fortress. He had faith that God could surround him and keep anything not in His will away from him. He also believed that what was allowed by his sovereign God had a purpose, and because of this he could rest and find refuge in Him.
II. God is a loving God.
In Psalm 86:5, David describes God as being "forgiving and good" and "abounding in love to all who call" to Him. In 86:6, David suggests this love is a merciful love, and that God answers those who cry to Him for mercy. Because of these enduring qualities God has shown to David time and again, David has come to trust God at all times. He holds the firm belief that, even when he could not see God working, the God of mercy, and forgiveness, and all goodness would come and protect him when he cries to Him.
The little three--year--old girl had just leaped off the diving board into the big neighborhood pool into the arms of her father. A watching adult met her at the edge of the pool and asked her why she was so willing to jump into the pool, especially when the water was so deep and her daddy couldn't even touch the bottom. She simply replied, "My daddy loves me. He would never let anything happen to me that wasn't good for me." David had this same childlike faith. God loves me. When I call He will be there.
III. God rewards His people.
These rewards are not what one would think of as the usual rewards for a job well done. In verses 9 and 10 he discounts riches, power, and social position. So what is God's reward for our obedience?
For Israel the rewards were freedom from slavery, protection from the surrounding enemies (fortress and refuge), and rest and hope for their nation. For us those rewards, according to the Word, are "heavenly" rewards (Luke 6:23). Paul called them an "inheritance from the Lord" (Colossians 3:24). The reward for us is eternal life, life that ensures our place in the Kingdom of God, both in the present and for eternity. That kingdom is a kingdom in which God is still our refuge, our strength, and our help in time of need (Hebrews 4:6). And He is the one in whom we ultimately find rest (Hebrews 3--4). We too can know the God of David, and experience David's joy as we are obedient to God.
James Pettitt
Children's Sermon
Mark 1:14--20
And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fish for people." (v. 17)
Object: A fishing pole with a single hook, some worms, and a seine.
Good morning, boys and girls. On a nice winter day like today we don't usually think about going fishing. But let's pretend that it is a warm, sunny day, with a gentle breeze blowing and we are in a boat on a lake with our friends. What a perfect day. Are you ready to go fishing? (Let them answer.) Okay.
I hope you have a fishing pole like mine because we need to catch at least 250 big fish today. That means we have to catch at least 25 a person. Are you ready for some very heavy fishing? (Let them answer.) I brought along some worms, at least fifty for each of you. Do you like to put the worms on the hook?
Just think, we will be out in the boat all day, even when the sun gets really hot, and we have to be very quiet so that we will not disturb the fish who like quiet, sunny waters in which to swim. By the way, there won't be a lot of room for lunch, since we have to get all of you into one boat along with your poles and the worms, and we have to have a place for the 250 fish. It could get a little crowded. You won't mind a few fish flopping around in the boat, will you? Does this sound like a hard way to catch 250 fish? (Let them answer.) I think you are right; it is a hard way to catch fish.
I have a better way. How about using this net? We could put Sam (pick out a child) on one end and Susan (pick out another child) on the other and then we would just sweep through the water and catch fifty fish all at one time. We could sort them out, throw back the little ones, and save the 25 big ones. With ten swoops of the net, we could catch all 250. Everyone could work together and we could have our work done. How does that sound? (Let them answer.)
That's what Jesus thought about finding Christians. Jesus knew that He could do it alone if He had to. He could find Chuck and Peter and Mark and Sally one day. And then He could find Matt and Luke and Christy another day. But Jesus had a great plan. He said that He would teach the twelve disciples about God and the twelve disciples could each teach twelve people and those twelve could teach twelve more and soon there would be hundreds of people teaching hundreds of other people about God. Soon the whole world would know about the love God has for us. So now that you and all of your friends know about Jesus, you can tell someone else about Jesus. That is the kind of fishing God wants us to do. Jesus said He would make us fishers of boys and girls. And guess what? You don't need worms to catch someone for Jesus. Amen.
